Ráquira Route
We encourage you to immerse yourself in the universe that is Ráquira’s pottery, a mere half an hour away from Villa de Leyva. You can stay the night in any of its many hotels and accommodation options. There are also lots of restaurants you can go to. You will be able to discover the secrets of the clay with which they make their emblematic flowerpots. The latter have made this traditional and picturesque town famous. You can see the craftspeople work their clay and witness its incredible transformation. You can even mold and cook some yourself, if you’re up for it. Back in Villa de Leyva, you can surrender yourself to ecotourism and find many cultural tours to enjoy as well. You can also meet the region’s great wool weavers. If you want to, you can take weaving and embroidery classes with them and even witness them shear one or two sheep. It will certainly be a very different and fun way to experience this beautiful town, which is always a pleasure to visit.
Embark on a journey full of history
Artisans along the way
Artisans along the way
We recommended this tour
Recommendations
Schedule the visit in advance with the artisans.
Carry cash
Length
3 days
Physical Complexity
Transportation
Car or Bus
Villa de Leyva
Welcome to one of Colombia’s most visited towns. Its identity is marked by its emblematic town square: one of the largest in the country. Its colonial architecture is also iconic. We urge you to check the town’s fairs, festivals, and holidays calendar before planning your trip. You should try and come visit during one of these events. Depending on the date you pick, you will be able to enjoy the majestic firework display, or the kite, religious music, jazz, or green film festivals. Riding a bike or walking around its hills and cobbled streets is also a great idea, since its weather is very pleasant. You can also visit its theme parks. These include the ostrich farm, the dinosaur park, the “Infernito” [Little Hell] with its stone totems, the Fossil Museum, the farmers’ market, the vineyards, and a great variety of restaurants. In short, there is plenty to see and do in Villa de Leyva. We encourage you to visit the homes and workshops of the artisans we recommend, so you can truly grasp the real value that of customary blankets and ruanas (ponchos).
Sutamarchán
Its smell will be the first thing you notice. Twenty minutes away from Villa de Leyva (13 km), on the road to Ráquira, you will come across a town commonly known as the land of the longaniza (an exquisite pork sausage). You must stop here and try it either on its own or with a generous selection of other delicacies such as an assortment of chopped meats, potatoes, and blood sausage. You will be fulfilled, happy, and have the best attitude to continue on with your adventure.
Ráquira
Only 12 kilometers away from your delightful stop, you will know you have arrived because the town looks like an orange spot. First, you will see the pots and flowerpots all over the shops’ windows and on the ground. Go on a walk through its main square and see the great variety of products they have to offer. Then, drop by Leidy Villamil’s workshop and start to learn how to work with clay. Afterwards, you can visit the other artisans in their villages. They are very close to the town’s urban center. In the Agua Buena village, you will be able to see the contemporary ceramic work of Iván Botia. In the Resguardo de Occidente village, you will meet Reyes Suárez, the magician of clay animals. You can also meet the emblematic Rosa María Jérez there, the creator of the famous “Las Otilias” clay Virgins. You can also take several ecotours through this beautiful desert area that will take you to the Rabanal Paramo and the Chaute Nature Reserve. They are an hour and a half away from Ráquira. Moreover, if stars are of your interest, you cannot miss out on Patio de Brujas: an astronomical observatory built with clay totems that measure the movement of the moon and mark the solar calendar.
Route acknowledgement
Pueblo Patrimonio
Villa de Leiva
Denominación de Origen
Cerámica Artesanal de Ráquira
Recommended sites
Important information for your trip
Pueblo Patrimonio
La Red Turística de Pueblos Patrimonio de Colombia es un programa especial del Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo, ejecutado por FONTUR, que trabaja con 17 municipios de Colombia que poseen declaratoria de Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC) a nivel nacional para su valoración y proyección mediante el turismo, generando así más oportunidades de desarrollo y sostenibilidad en las comunidades.
La Medalla a la Maestría Artesanal es un galardón que Artesanías de Colombia entrega anualmente, con el cual se hace un reconocimiento a aquellos artesanos, empresas y comunidades artesanales que, contando con una trayectoria destacada, sobresalen a nivel nacional por su excelencia en el oficio así como por preservar el quehacer artesanal.
Denominación de Origen
Es un signo distintivo que identifica productos reconocidos o famosos por tener una calidad o características específicas derivadas esencialmente del lugar de origen y la forma tradicional de extracción, elaboración y producción por parte de sus habitantes. La protección conferida sobre una Denominación de Origen implica que ninguna persona puede identificar con la denominación protegida productos iguales o similares a los amparados, cuando no provengan del verdadero lugar y no cumplan con las características o calidades que le han dado la reputación al producto reconocido. Las Denominaciones de Origen para productos artesanales colombianos que han sido protegidas por la Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio en nuestro país son actualmente 12.
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